Booked eight months before, but this evening came around so fast!

A visit to The Shakespeare North Playhouse Theatre, Prescot, to see “An Audience with Willy Russell”.

If you haven’t already been to the Shakespearean themed cockpit Theatre in Prescot, it’s the perfect intimate candlelit setting for “In Conversation with” nights with critically acclaimed writers, actors, and directors, such as Willy Russell.

Liverpool Playwrite of “Educating Rita, “Shirley Valentine”, “Our Day Out”, and ofcourse the musical “Blood Brothers”.

Blood Brothers not only achieved an Olivier Award for best musical, but the book went on to feature in the school curriculum.

Willy told us that he was often in trouble at school, and was quickly written off as a non-achiever, and as a punishment, he was moved to the D Band.

What’s amazing is that, if he had not been moved to D Band, he may never have met the equally bright, intelligent, and mischievous young student named Shirley Valentine.

Smoking behind the bike sheds. Answering back, or as we would call it up north, “giving lip”, and god only knows what else!

Many years later… Willy wrote the book.  The one woman play, and the hugely successful movie .. “Shirley Valentine” which starred actress Pauline Collins as Shirley Valentine. Also, Miss Goody Two Shoes, Marjorie Majors played by actress, Joanna Lumley.

An Audience with Willy Russell” was quickly drawing to a end, but not before Willy took his last sip of red, before getting to his feet to read a passage from one of his books “The Wrong Boy”

There were cheers from the audience, and a well deserved standing ovation as Willy Russell left the stage.

Having secured excellent seats as always, we had the perfect view.

Who would you love to see an “In conversation with”, and why? We would love to know.

Picture Credit : Culture Calendar